On the charge density and potential near the surface of a field emitter

Abstract

The recently computed result for charge density penetrating into the barrier region of a capped (5,5) carbon nanotube in zero applied field is compared with the analysis of Kohn and Mattsson for a narrow region near the Fermi equipotential. The decrease of charge density with distance into the barrier is found to be faster for the computed result, possibly resulting from a limitation in the density functional used.